Masonry cutter



1964 T. H. STEPHENS ETAL 3,151,190

MASONRY CUTTER Filed June 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l IINVENTORS. ThomasH. Stephens James H. Stephen;

1964 T. H. STEPHENS ETAL 3,161,190

MASONRY CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 27 1963 Hvmvroas. Thomas H.Stephens James H. Stephens BY Q/ MJ i???) THE/l? 4aE/v'r.

United States Patent Ollice 3,ll,l% Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3,16Lll 1tlMASGNRY (IUTTER Thomas E. Stephens, 3% SE. 45th, and .lames H. Stephens,2204 W. filth, both of Piainview, Terr. Filed lune 27, Bull, er. No.291,334 '7 Claims. (6i. 125-23} This invention relates to improvementsin brick cutters and the like, and more particularly to a manuallypowered brick cutter for cutting bricks or other masonry like memberssuch as concrete blocks and certain stones.

Various cutters have been proposed heretofore for performing suchfunctions, but these for the most part were cumbersome and bulky, andcomplex in structure to perform the function intended.

The present device is so constructed that it may be readily dismantledfor carrying from place to place and may be readily reassembled in aminimum of time to perform brick, stone, and masonry cutting operations,which operations heretofore required large stationary machines.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for cutting brick andthe like, which device is readily adjustable to cut blocks of masonrywithin a wide range of dimensions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brick cutter and thelike for cutting blocks of masonry, which device is manually operated,and which exerts high cleavage pressure between two opposed masonrycutting knives.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a masonry cuttingdevice which supports the block of masonry above the lowermost knife toenable the block to be freely slid thereover until correctly positioned.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a masonry cuttingdevice which is lever operated, the pressure on the knives of which isprogressively increased as the knives bite into the masonry block.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an adjustmentmember to readily vary the distance between the knives preparatory tothe cutting of the masonry block.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a gauging deviceto enable the masonry blocks to be readily gauged for length without theuse of ancillary measuring devices.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a masonry cutter whichis accessible from the front and from each side.

With these objects in mind and others which will become manifest as thedescription proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in theseveral views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front and a side and top of thedevice with the upper knife being shown in raised position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device, showing the knife in asimilar position to that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view of the cutteractuating mechanism, with parts broken away and shown in section, withthe masonry block supporting table shown in full outline in normalposition and dashed outline in depressed position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing one position of the masonryblock cutter in full outline and showing the masonry cutter in dashedoutline in a raised position;

FIG. 5 shows the detachable cutter portion of the masonry block cutterdevice removed from the supporting stand;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view, partly in section, of other mechanisms toactuate the cutter knife;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 3-8 of FIG. 6, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, numeral 1 designatesgenerally a supporting stand for the masonry cutter device. The numeral2 designates generally a masonry cutting device which is attachablyconnected to the stand 1 by a clamp screw 4, which clamp screw bindinglyengages the lower surface of stationary table 6 with the upper face ofsupport stand 1 when tightened, or the masonry cutting device 2 may beremoved from the support stand 1 as indicated in FIG. 5, whereby themasonry cutting device may be attached to a suitable work bench, ifdesired. The support stand 1 preferably has a rectangular top member 8welded or otherwise secured together to form a rectangular member towhich legs in of the support stand are secured as by welding. The legs1t? diverge downwardly and outwardly and braces 12 maintain the legs inspaced apart relation, and each leg It? has a support pad 1-5 on thelower end thereof.

A pair of wheels is provided, one of which wheels is secured on each ofa pair of adjacent legs id, as will best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, sothat the wheels 14 will be spaced above the lower face of support pads16 on the lower end of the respective legs it so that the support standll will be stable during use, and which may be tilted onto the wheelsfor movement from place to place. The masonry cutting device 2, asillustrated in FIG. 5, may be readily placed in a car, pickup truck orthe like, as can the support stand 1, for transportation from place toplace.

The masonry cutting device 2 has a stationary table 6 forming a basewhich is welded or otherwise secured to an upstanding standard 13 withthe base serving as an abutment to seat on the upper surface ofrectangular top member 8. An arm 24? is secured near the end of thestandard 13 and extends beneath the rectangular top member 8 and has aclamp screw 4 extending there through, which clamp screw bindinglyengages the upper surface of rectangular top member 8 with the lowersurface of stationary table 6. The stationary table or base 6 is aertured with spaced apart apertures to receive headed pins 24therethrough, which pins extend upward and are welded or otherwisesecured to a divided, movable support table 26, which table 26 issupported on a plurality of compression springs 28 so as to normallyhold the upper face of the movable support table 26 in a plane which isnormally above the edge of the masonry cutting blade 34 mounted insupport bar 32 on stationary table 6. in this manner, masonry may bemoved over movable support table 26 without injuring the cutting edge ofblade 3% The pins 24 each have a head or an abutment 34 on the lower endthereof to engage the lower side of stationary table 6 when the movablesupport table 26 is in the uppermost position under the influence ofcompression springs 28. A compression spring 28 surrounds each pin 24,as will best be seen in FIG. 3.

The movable support table 26 has a guide 3:: secured along a portion ofthe rear side thereof, which guide 36 indicia thereon, as will best beseen in FIG. 3, whereby an exact measurement of the masonry being cutcan be determined prior to the cutting thereof. Furthermore, a stop 38is provided on the guide 36 to enable the stop to be set at apredetermined position for cutting members of masonry into identicallengths.

The upstanding standard 18 has a tubular member 40 telescoped downwardthereover, as will best be seen in FlG. 6. The upstanding standard 18has a longitudinal keyway 42 therein to receive a key 44, which keyprojects upper end of tubular member 40 has an apertured cap 1 50 on theupper end thereof, which aperture is of a size to permit passage ofscrew threaded member .4 8 down- Ward therethrough. The, screw threadedmember 48 has an annular recess 52 therearound to receive a pair ofcomplementary U-shaped'retain-ing Washers 54 therein, which washersextend outward and are secured in place by a removable cap 56, throughwhich cap 56 bolts 58 pass to bindingly engage the U-shaped washers 54against longitudinal movement with respect to tubular member 46. A crank60 is fixedly secured to the upper end of screw threaded member 4-8 toenable the turning of screw threaded member 48, which will movethe-tubular member 40 relative to the upstanding standard 18.

A pair of spaced apart, outstanding brackets 62 is secured to the sideof tubular member 40, each of which I brackets has an outwardlyextending apertured lug'64 thereon to complementary receive an aperturedmember 66 .therebetween, one of which apertures registers with aperturesin lug 64 to enable a'pin 68 to be passed therethrough. A furtheraperture is formed in member 66 and is spaced apart from pin 68 andregisters with apertures in the upper end of a pair of linkages 70 insuch manner as toenable a pin 72 to be passed through the apertures inlinkages '70 and the further aperture in member 66. A movable knife .orcutter blade 74 is mounted, in sliding relation, between the pair ofbrackets 62, as will best be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. The knife or cutterblade 74 is of a length to cut a masonry block the desired width and hasan upstanding leg 76 thereon with an inturned arm 73. A bar 7 9 passestransversely through the spaced apart pair of brackets 62 and isremovably secured therein and preferably has a spring retaining seat 80on the upper face thereof, which is in aligned relation with a springseat 82' on the upper face of arm 73; A web 86 extends between and issecured to spaced apart, outstanding brackets .62 to form a rigid bracetherefor. A spring 84 is interposed between spring seats 89 and 82 andis in suflicient compression to cause the blade 74, arm 78, and a handle96 to be raised, so the upper face of arm. 78 will abut with a face ofweb 86 to limit the upward movement of the blade 74. The outer face ofupstanding leg 76 is in sliding relation with the inner face of a plate88 which extends between slide brackets 62. The inner end of arm 78, asindicated at 90, is in sliding relation with the side of tubular member40 so as to hold the blade 74- in true guided relation. 1

The blade support member 73 has an aperture 92 therethrough. Thelinkages 70 are apertured on their lower end to complementally registerwith the aperture 92 in the blade support member 73 to enable a pin 94to v be passed therethrough to enable the blade support member 73 andthe blade 74 to be moved upward and downward upon movement of the lever96, which extends outward from member 66, which has a socket 93 thereinto enable the lever 96to be inserted thereinto and removed therefrom.The angularity of the apertures in member 66 is such that, when thelever 96 is moved to urge blade 74 downward, the pins 68, 72, and 94become morenearly The height of the movable cutter blade 74 may bevaried relative .to stationary cutter blade by turning the crank 60 toeither raise or lower the tubular member which carries the movablecutter blade 74 in the manner set out above.

. Operation By having the movable support table 26 supported oncompression springs 28, a block of masonry may be placed thereon andmoved therealong until the cutting edge of movable cutter blade 74 isdirectly above the portion of the masonry block to be cut, and with thetubular member 40 adjusted vertically by crank 60 until the cutting edgeof the blade 74 is directly above the masonry to .be cut, the lever 96is then moved downward, and as pin 72 approaches a straight line withpins 68 and 94, the maximum pressure of the cutter blade 74 is exertedon the masonry block, such as indicated at B, Which will cause acleavage of the masonry. However, if the cutting edge of blade 74 cutsinto the stone and the stone or masonry block does not shear or cleave,the crank 6d may be turned to screw the screw threaded member 48 in suchmanner as to lower the blade 74, whereupon a further action of themovable blade 74 may be had without removing the masonry from themovable support table '26.

It is to be pointed out that the device is easy to assemble anddisassemble, that it is easyto removethe blades 30 and 74 bylooseningscrews 100 and 102, respectively.

aligned to present a lever power that approaches or attains toggleaction at the point Where it is necessary to apply the greatest pressureto the masonry being out. However, upon release of pressure, the spring84 will return the lever 96 to the uppermost position to receivesubsequent masonry pieces, such as bricks, concrete blocks, stones andthe like thereunder for successive actions by the cutter blade 74thereupon.

v by Letters Patent is:

Furthermore, the screw'threaded member 48 may be readilyremoved' byremoving bolts 58, removable cap 56, and U-shaped washers 54. Thevarious parts may be readily replaced and removed when they become worn.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what'is claimedas new and desired to be secured 1. In a device for cutting masonry; (a)a base, (b) a standard secured to said base and upstanding therefrom,(c) a tubular member slid over said upstanding standard in telescopingrelation,

(1) adjustment means to adjust said tubular member relative to thelength of said upstanding standard,

(d) a divided, movable support table mounted on said base for supportingmasonry thereon,

(e) a stationary cutter blade mounted on said base intermediate saiddivided table portions,

(f) a cutter blade mounted on said tubular member and being movablerelative thereto,

(g) lever means pivotally mounted on said tubular member, Y

w (h) linkage means interconnecting saidlever means and said cutterblade movably'mounted on said tubular member to move said cutter bladerelative to said tubular member,

(1) said stationary cutter blade being positioned in aligned relationwith respect to said movable cutter blade, and (i) resilient meansmounted on said tubular, member and being in connected relation withsaid movable cutter blade to normally urge said movable cutter bladeaway from said stationary cutter blade. 2. A device for cutting masonry,as defined in claim '1, wherein V i (a) said adjustment means to adjustsaid tubular member relative to said upstanding standard isinterengaging screw threaded means, (b) a crank is positioned on one ofsaid screw threaded means, p

(c) retaining means on one of said interengaging screw threadedmeans toretain said screw-threaded means against relative arcuate movement withrespect to "said tubular member. 7

E? 3. A device for cutting masonry, as defined in claim 1, wherein 1,wherein (a) said tubular member has a pair of spaced apart,

outstanding brackets on one side thereof,

(b) said movable knife being positioned between said pair of spacedapart, outstanding brackets to be guided thereby,

(c) a Web extending between said spaced apart, outstanding bracketswhich guides a portion of said movable blade,

(d) a support bar mounted between said spaced apart,

outstanding brackets, and

(.2) said resilient means mounted on said tubular member being supportedby said bar which extends between said spaced apart,outstandingbrackets, the other end of said resilient means being inbearing relation with a portion of said blade to urge said movable bladeaway from said stationary blade.

5. A device for cutting masonry, as defined in claim 1, wherein (a) saidbase is mounted on a stand having downwardly extending legs thereon,

(b) screw threaded means securing said base to said stand, and

(c) a pair of wheels mounted on a side of said stand and being engagablewith a support terrain on moving said stand from an upright position toan angulated position. 6. A device for cutting masonry, as defined inclaim 1, wherein (a) said divided movable table is supported oncompression springs, and

(b) means limiting the upward movement of said resiliently supportedtable.

7. A device for cutting masonry, as defined in claim 6, wherein (a) anoutstanding member is secured to and extends outwardly from saidupstanding standard and is in parallel relation with a side of saiddivided table,

(1) measuring indicia on said outstanding member,

(1;) stop means movably mounted on said outstanding member, and

(0) means attachably securing said stop means to said outstandingmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS660,856 Brinkman Mar. 22, 1898 1,487,595 Petermann Mar. 18, 19242,053,043 Patterson Sept. 1, 1936 2,205,313 Stahl June 18, 19402,746,447 Eetch May 22, 1956 2,777,438 M angis ..Jan. 15, 1957 2,779,324Schloug'n et a1. Jan. 29, 1957 2,874,688 Biesanz et a1 Feb. 24, 19592,933,079 Gutting Apr. 19, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 551,606 France Jan. 11,1923 835,611 France Sept. 26, 1938

1. IN A DEVICE FOR CUTTING MASONRY; (A) A BASE, (B) A STANDARD SECURED TO SAID BASE AND UPSTANDING THEREFROM, (C) A TUBULAR MEMBER SLID OVER SAID UPSTANDING STANDARD IN TELESCOPING RELATION, (1) ADJUSTMENT MEANS TO ADJUST SAID TUBULAR MEMBER RELATIVE TO THE LENGTH OF SAID UPSTANDING STANDARD, (D) A DIVIDED, MOVABLE SUPPORT TABLE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR SUPPORTING MASONRY THEREON, (E) A STATIONARY CUTTER BLADE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE INTERMEDIATE SAID DIVIDED TABLE PORTIONS, (F) A CUTTER BLADE MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO, (G) LEVER MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, (H) LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID LEVER MEANS AND SAID CUTTER BLADE MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TO MOVE SAID CUTTER BLADE RELATIVE TO SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, (1) SAID STATIONARY CUTTER BLADE BEING POSITIONED IN ALIGNED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID MOVABLE CUTTER BLADE, AND (I) RESILIENT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND BEING IN CONNECTED RELATION WITH SAID MOVABLE CUTTER BLADE TO NORMALLY URGE SAID MOVABLE CUTTER BLADE AWAY FROM SAID STATIONARY CUTTER BLADE. 